A Man to Trust by Carrie Turansky Page A

brushed them away. Tilting her head, she surveyed her creation. “What do you think?”
    Her slim brown corduroys and soft peach sweater accented her trim figure and attractive curves. She was nothing short of… “Beautiful,” he murmured. Had he actually said that out loud?
    She turned and sent him a quizzical look, a slight smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “What did you say?”
    Fire flashed up his neck. “Best scarecrow I’ve ever seen.” He snatched the pair of work gloves off the pile and knelt on the sidewalk. “But he still needs his gloves.”
    “Okay.” Her voice still held a question.
    He could feel beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he fumbled with the gloves. “How are we going to get him to hold the book?”
    “Maybe we could use rubber bands.” Adrie knelt beside him, holding the scarecrow’s arm still while he tugged on the gloves. “If we set the book in his lap, I can wrap the rubber bands around it and slip the thumbs of his gloves under.” She glanced at him, her eyes wide, waiting for his response.
    She was only inches away now, close enough he could see a faint dusting of pale freckles across her nose and the dark sweep of lashes around her amazing eyes. The sweet scent of flowers and sunshine drew him closer. If he leaned down he could kiss her. But a warning pulsed through him. If he crossed that line now, he would destroy his chances. He forced himself to break eye contact.
    What had she said? “Rubber bands. Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
    She took a few from her pocket and secured the book to the gloves. “There. That should do it.” A triumphant smile spread across her face as she rose to her feet.
    Ross grabbed a handful of hay to start stuffing Mrs. Brown, but their work felt more like play as he teased Adrie, and she teased him right back. By the time they seated Mrs. Brown next to her husband, they were laughing so hard they had to stop to catch their breath.
    He closed his eyes, soaking in the crazy, wonderful feelings zinging through him. How long had it been since he’d felt this alive?
    “Hey, quit daydreaming.” She gave his shoulder a playful shake. “We’ve got work to do.”
    His eyes flew open. “I’m not daydreaming.”
    “Looks like it to me.” She tossed a handful of hay at him.
    Grinning, he scooped up some hay and threw it back at her.
    She gasped and ducked. “You missed!” Popping up, she made a silly face at him.
    “Oh, no. You’re not getting away with that.” He grabbed her arm, pulled her closer and tickled her waist.
    Laughing, she bent and tried to squirm away, but he held on tight and continued the game.
    “Stop, please, stop,” she gasped, still laughing.
    “Not until you promise to be good. No more hay in the face.”
    “Okay. I promise!”
    He dropped his hands and let her go. Chuckling, he leaned in closer. “I didn’t know you were so ticklish.”
    Her laughter died. She pulled in a ragged breath. Brushing the hair away from her face, she locked gazes with him. Her pulse pounded at the base of her throat, and all the playfulness vanished from her expression. “I can’t…do this…”
    Her words knocked the wind out of him. “I was just playing around. I didn’t mean…” But he couldn’t finish his sentence. It wasn’t true. He did want her in his arms, and he’d thought for a moment she wanted that, too.
    With her face flaming, she spun away and stuffed the leftover clothing in the plastic bag. “I’ll finish this later.” She picked it up and fled around the side of the bookstore.
    Stifling a moan, he kicked the pile of hay on the sidewalk. “Great!” Now he’d really done it.
    Early the next morning, Adrie bent to stretch, and then adjusted the shoelaces on her running sneakers. The sound of the water lapping against the piling of the Taylor Dock created a soothing rhythm, but that did little to calm her restless thoughts.
    Pulling back her hair in a ponytail, she set off jogging up the South Bay